Shopify Spam Customer Accounts with Real Email Addresses

[sconnor]

Yes, adding my voice here. I really wish Shopify had a better answer than "get an app". We've been inundated. It's now a time issue, trying to figure out how to fix this. 

[Seashore]

I've been using that Shop Protector app for the last 8 days and haven't had a single fake customer account created. I don't use blogs so can't comment on how effective it is blocking spam comments as some others posts have mentioned.

So if you don't mind coughing up an extra $4.99 a month on top of everything else you're probably paying for wth Shopify, then I'd recommned this app as a fix to the problem.

Like I've said though, if you're listening Shopify, I do expect this problem to receive a proper fix. If some app designer can solve it then you lot, with the money you're making, are perfectly capable of doing it too.  Lets see a little give and less take guys.

[sconnor]

Yes, that’s how I feel. The app ecosystem is great— but I do consider some
sort of protection against spam/some site security a basic need...one that
impacts all shops and subscribers on the platform.

[LisaR72]

I installed Shop Protector but I'm still getting the fake accounts - 8 more overnight. :/ I've contacted their support to see what's up. 

[Danny_Welsh]

We've been experiencing this for about a year now, but starting this month the problem has gotten much larger.  Looking at our stats from January 2019 until October 2019, we had between 5 and 81 fake signups per month (average of 40 per month).  Now so far in November (2 weeks!) we've had a total of 340 fake signups!  Obviously something has happened to either make this either easier for the bots (security issue), or it's just exploded as the new popular thing to do for spammers. 

We don't want to lock down our site or make it more difficult for real users to sign up with a new account and/or purchase.  But the overload of new fake account signups is affecting our email deliverability as well as the cost for our monthly email service, which charges based on the number of subscribers.  More subscribers, even if they're fake, means higher monthly fees.

But the only solution Shopify can give is to sign up for a security app (more monthly fees) that will stop the bots?  How is it that the app can stop the bots, but Shopify can't build that same security integration into the platform? "It's a complicated problem" or "it's too difficult because the bots are so smart" doesn't seem to be a logical answer, given that the app is successful according to previous responses.  Shopify, figure this out, please.

[breakfastat_t]

Hi

I installed Shop Protect 11 days ago, initially it did not work so I contacted them and it started working, so no spam accounts. BUT day 10 I noticed 3 new fake accounts. I have contacted Shop Protect and am waiting for a response.

What I have noticed is that all the fake accounts are yahoo accounts, and I am now being blocked from delivering emails to yahoo for the automated shopify welcome email!

Has anyone else noticed a trend???

Are you being blocked???

[Dori_H]

Yes, it looks like my automated emails are being blocked by yahoo, too.  Part of message received is below. 

     host mta5.am0.yahoodns.net[67.195.228.110] said:

    421 4.7.0 [TSS04] Messages from 35.203.68.80 temporarily deferred due to

    user complaints - 4.16.55.1;

Shopify, I am very unhappy. 

[LisaR72]

I just received the same deferred message. This is really not okay. Shopify please address the issue! 

[Ann_Steeves]

I haven't had a problem with Yahoo accounts. I'm blocked by  Netzero, which honestly I don't care because only one of my customers has a netzero account. But it is troubling that yahoo is blocking some legit shops, and yes, Shopify has to do something about it.

[MJC]

I agree, the amount of spam accounts is getting out of hand and as already mentioned the bigger problem is the damage to our domains reputation for being flagged for sending spam all of the time, as a quick fix it would be handy if we could turn off the auto email that gets sent upon account creation but I have been told that is not possible.  I do hope that Shopify is working on a solution.